FIG. 8.

Proposed model of EBV oral epithelial entry, persistence, and reactivation. EBV latently infects pre-LC in the blood. The pre-LC migrate from the blood, through the submucosa, and into the oral epithelium, transporting latent EBV infection. In the epithelium, the pre-LC differentiate into LC that reside in the lower epithelial layers and extend dendrites into the upper spinous layer. EBV may persist in LC as a latent infection or may reactivate in LC to productive replication. Infection of adjacent epithelial cells results in productive EBV replication in the upper spinous layer, sometimes causing the pathological changes of oral hairy leukoplakia and ultimately releasing infectious virions into the oral cavity.